Holy heck! Frank and I depart for Stokercon in two days. It’s home of the Bram Stoker Awards, & a rolicking get-together of folks who make (& love) dark fantasy, horror, & the Weird.

I have two SFWA conferences (“The Nebulas”) in my rear view mirror, & I think it’ll be pretty fascinating to compare & contrast. Both Stoker & the Nebulas are built around very serious awards ceremonies in their respective fields, & I expect Stokercon to be just as jam-packed with lovers of speculative fiction as the Nebs, but that is… so far… what I’ve got. 🙂

I am excited to see Mr. Robert McCammon in action, as I am a big fan of his novel Swan Song, among other things. I’d be shootin’ lollipops out of my skullholes (or some more decipherable euphemism for BS’ing you) if I told you I’m not a little disappointed to miss out on the opportunity to see Graham Masterton, but—hey–we will celebrate his lifetime’s achievement with style & gusto, & maybe he’ll hear our hubbub. Can’t wait to see who’s won what, & cheer on the awardees.

There’s much to look forward to, and there will surely be much to tell. Look for us at the big signing event. We will be set up with our editions of Triangulation & even (surprise!) “Favorite Monsters” t-shirts.

Hey. So. You like science fiction? Maybe a little fantasy at the end of a long day at the mine? Horror & the weird & all other departures from the Probable tickle your fancy? Perhaps you even know the umbrella term, “speculative fiction”…?

Every month, Alan & Jeremy go forth to slay the Jabberwock with a little help from their friends. The podcast features guests from all walks of life: “writers & editors… academics, businessmen, scientists, musicians, & everything in between. “

The podcast is available wherever fine podcasts are sold–er, given away–and the point is to “dive in deep & see what [they] can learn about [them]selves & the world.”

Every month they cover a different short story with a guest. It’s often funny, usually thought-provoking, & always interesting. You got something better lined up for the commute?

I hope you’ll take the time to consider that this site is festooned in artworks of the hand-drawn variety. Which is to say non-digital. Texas tea. I would be honored, also, if you found them to be an appropriate complement to the more verbal content herein. I love the worlds the artist evokes, with just a stroke of the pen or brush. If you could turn me inside out and see my dream life, this is what it would look like.

Unless otherwise specified, the works here are the handiwork of Pittsburgh artist Debra Tomson Williams, who also created the front-cover art for Triangulation: Harmony & Dissonance and Triangulation: Appetites, plus the 41 original illustrations therein. I am of the opinion that they are worth the price of admission to those volumes. Hope you’ll check them out on my Amazon page.

Aren’t you the one who told me personal blogs are dead? Social media is where it’s at, you said. Dynomite, you said. (You’re a big fan of Good Times. So am I.)

And because we have such a history–because I value your opinion so highly, it was the least I could do to plunge headfirst into the mad tide of friendster, myspace, facebook, twitter. I lost myself to the madness. I lost you in that terrible tide. But here we are. Reunited and it feels so good. (You’re a big fan of Peaches & Herb. Are you still a big fan of Peaches & Herb?)

Let’s see if we still have things to say to one another. Let’s see what we’ve missed, and maybe make some new memories.